Piz Cristallina, Alpine summit in Surselva Region, Switzerland
Piz Cristallina is a 3,128.1 m summit in the Medels group of the Adula Alps, standing at the southwestern corner of the Glatscher da Medel and rising only slightly above the glacier. The western main summit was formerly called Piz Pozata; the eastern sub-summit is unnamed on topographic maps and in the SAC guide. It lies on the border of Grisons and Ticino.
According to various sources, the Disentis mountaineering monk Placidus a Spescha made the first ascent in 1782, one of his earliest summits, via a route roughly following today's Val Cristallina approach from Pardatsch. The western main summit was formerly also called Piz Pozata. The peak was to form part of the core zone of the failed Parc Adula.
The mountain's name derives from the Romansh "cristallina", referring to the crystalline rock of the Medel massif. The western main summit was formerly also called Piz Pozata, while the eastern sub-summit remains unnamed on topographic maps and in the SAC guide. The peak lies at the southwestern corner of the Glatscher da Medel.
The SAC Club Guide rates the two main ascents L to WS: from the Medelserhütte over the Glatscher da Medel and Fuorcla Cristallina (L, about 3.25 hours), or from Pardatsch on the Lukmanier road through Val Cristallina, Piz Pian and Fuorcla Puzzetta without touching the glacier (L, about 5.25 hours). The summit stands at the southwest corner of the Glatscher da Medel.
The western main summit was formerly also called Piz Pozata, while the eastern sub-summit has no name on the topographic map or in the SAC guide. The peak stands at the southwest corner of the Glatscher da Medel, rising only slightly above the glacier's surface. It was to form part of the core zone of the failed Parc Adula.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,981 contributors worldwide.